The French Passive Voice (La Voix Passive): When to Use It and When to Avoid It

Target: 1,800+ words

The passive voice in French works differently than in English. French native speakers actively avoid it in many contexts where English speakers would use it naturally. Understanding when and how to deploy the passive voice — and its alternatives — is essential for TEF/TCF success.

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Part 1: How the Passive Voice Works

The passive voice transforms the object of an active sentence into the subject.

Active: "Le chat mange la souris." (The cat eats the mouse.) Passive: "La souris est mangée par le chat." (The mouse is eaten by the cat.)

Formula:

Subject + ÊTRE (conjugated) + Past Participle + PAR + Agent

The past participle always agrees with the subject in gender and number.

• "Les lettres sont envoyées par le secrétaire." (feminine plural)
• "Le gâteau a été mangé par les enfants." (masculine singular)

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Part 2: Conjugating the Passive Across Tenses

The tense of ÊTRE determines the tense of the passive sentence.

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Part 3: PAR vs. DE — Choosing the Right Preposition

Usually the agent is introduced by PAR (by):

• "Le tableau a été peint par Monet."

However, DE is used with certain verbs expressing emotion, description, or state:

• "Elle est aimée de tous." (She is loved by everyone.)
• "La ville est entourée de montagnes." (The city is surrounded by mountains.)
• "Il est respecté de ses collègues."

Rule of thumb: PAR = physical action / DE = emotional or descriptive state.

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Part 4: When French AVOIDS the Passive Voice

This is the most important section. Unlike English, French prefers alternatives to the passive in many situations.

Alternative 1: ON + Active Voice (Most Common)

• English: "French is spoken here."
• French Passive: "Le français est parlé ici." (Grammatically correct but unnatural)
• French Natural: "On parle français ici."

More examples:

• "On m'a dit que..." (I was told that...) instead of "J'ai été dit..."
• "On a volé mon sac." (My bag was stolen.) instead of "Mon sac a été volé."

Alternative 2: Pronominal (Reflexive) Verbs

• "Ce produit se vend bien." (This product sells well / is sold well.)
• "Ça ne se fait pas." (That isn't done.)
• "Le vin se boit frais." (Wine is drunk chilled.)

Alternative 3: SE FAIRE + Infinitive

• "Il s'est fait renvoyer." (He got fired.)
• "Elle s'est fait voler son portefeuille." (She got her wallet stolen.)

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Part 5: The Passive in Formal Writing

In formal, academic, and journalistic writing, the passive is MORE acceptable and even preferred:

• "La loi a été adoptée par l'Assemblée nationale."
• "Les résultats seront publiés la semaine prochaine."
• "Cette théorie est contestée par de nombreux chercheurs."

Exam Strategy: Use the passive in your TCF/TEF Writing tasks when discussing policies, studies, or events. It sounds formal and authoritative.

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Part 6: Common Errors to Avoid

1. Forgetting agreement: "Les lettres sont envoyées" (not "envoyé").
2. Using Passive with intransitive verbs: You CANNOT passivize verbs that don't take a direct object.
   • "Il a été arrivé." (Arriver has no direct object — this is wrong.)
3. Overusing the passive in speech: In the TEF Speaking exam, prefer "On" + active voice. The passive sounds stilted in oral French.

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Conclusion

The passive voice is a tool, not a default. In French, use it strategically in formal writing to sound authoritative. In speaking, prefer "on" + active voice or reflexive constructions. Master both the passive and its alternatives, and you demonstrate true control over French register and style.